System and method for using distributed network performance information tables to manage network communications

Abstract

A system, method and network communications device including a processing unit configured to communicate data packets with one or more network communications devices. The data packets include network performance information generated by the one or more network communications devices in response to receiving a portion of the data packets. The network communications device further includes a memory in communication with the processing unit. The memory is configured to store a table containing network performance information associated with the node segments through which the data packets are communicated with the one or more network communications devices. The processing unit is further configured to process the data packets to store the network performance information in the table. The network performance information is utilized to alter future communications of the data packets through the node segments.

We claim: 
     
       1. A wireless access point, comprising:
 a processing unit configured to communicate data packets with one or more end-user communications devices; and 
 a memory in communication with the processing unit and configured to store network performance information associated with the wireless access point, wherein the network performance information includes available bandwidth at the wireless access point; 
 wherein the processing unit is further configured to:
 extract network performance information for each communication path from the wireless access point to each respective end-user communications device of the one or more end-user communications devices; 
 determine at least one node segment in a communication path from the wireless access point to a first end-user communications device of the one or more end-user communications devices; 
 provide a node segment network performance information for each of the at least one node segment to the first end-user communications device, wherein the network performance information includes the node segment network performance information; 
 assign a rating to the communication path based on a second rating assigned to the at least one node segment, wherein the second rating is based on the node segment network performance information; and 
 routing communications, over the communication path including the at least one node segment, to the first end-user communications device based on at least one network performance information criteria, wherein the communication path traverses different networks operated by different network service providers. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless access point according to  claim 1 , wherein the network performance information includes a number of end-user communications devices currently connected to the wireless access point. 
     
     
       3. The wireless access point according to  claim 2 , wherein the network performance information includes real-time bandwidth usage for each of the end-user communications devices currently connected to the wireless access point. 
     
     
       4. The wireless access point according to  claim 1 , wherein the network performance information includes information representative of transmission performance of (i) data packets including real-time content and (ii) total data packets communicated over the wireless access point. 
     
     
       5. The wireless access point according to  claim 1 , wherein the network performance information includes performance information of network nodes and node segments in communication with the wireless access point, and an indicia representative of the network nodes and node segments. 
     
     
       6. The wireless access point according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one network performance information criteria includes latency, jitter, packet loss, percentage of real-time traffic, and real-time bandwidth. 
     
     
       7. The wireless access point of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to store and update the second rating and the rating assigned to each of the node segments in the communication path on the wireless access point at a predetermined interval. 
     
     
       8. The wireless access point of  claim 1 , wherein the communication path traverses different types of networks. 
     
     
       9. A method, comprising:
 communicating, using a wireless access point, data packets with one or more end-user communications devices; 
 storing, with the wireless access point, network performance information associated with the wireless access point, wherein the network performance information includes available bandwidth at the wireless access point; 
 extracting, via the wireless access point, network performance information for each communication path from the wireless access point to each respective end-user communications device of the one or more end-user communications devices; 
 determining, with the wireless access point, at least one node segment in a communication path from the wireless access point to a first end-user communications device of the one or more end-user communications devices; 
 providing, with the wireless access point, a node segment network performance information for each of the at least one node segment to the first end-user communications device, wherein the network performance information includes the node segment network performance information; 
 assigning, with the wireless access point, a rating to the communication path based on a second rating assigned to the at least one node segment, wherein the second rating is based on the node segment network performance information; and 
 routing, via the wireless access point, communications, over the communication path including the at least one node segment, to the first end-user communications device based on at least one network performance information criteria, wherein the communication path traverses different networks operated by different network service providers. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the network performance information includes a number of end-user communications devices currently connected to the wireless access point. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the network performance information includes real-time bandwidth usage for each of the end-user communications devices currently connected to the wireless access point. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the network performance information includes information representative of transmission performance of (i) data packets including real-time content and (ii) total data packets communicated over the wireless access point. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the network performance information includes performance information of network nodes and node segments in communication with the wireless access point, and an indicia representative of the network nodes and node segments. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one criteria includes latency, jitter, packet loss, percentage of real-time traffic, and real-time bandwidth. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising storing and updating the second rating and the rating assigned to each of the node segments in the communication path on the wireless access point at a predetermined interval. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the communication path traverses different types of networks.